Deliberations Begin in Civil Suit Former Defenseman Babych

Deliberations began yesterday in the case of former Flyers D Dave Babych, who claims his career was cut short because the team made him play hurt.

The civil suit, which seeks $2.3 million in damages, went to the jury, which met for less than an hour in Atlantic City and will resume deliberating today.

Babych, 41, who played parts of two seasons with the Flyers at the end of an 18-year NHL career, contends that he would have played longer had it not been for the treatment he got from then-team physician Arthur Bartolozzi for a broken bone in his left foot. The foot was never placed in a cast after Babych was hit by a slap shot April 8, 1998, but Bartolozzi maintains the treatment was proper and says Babych's play declined because of age and other injuries.

* INJURED: Kings C Jason Allison will miss two to three months because of a torn ligament in his right knee. Allison, the team's leading scorer, was hurt during Tuesday's 4-0 win at Atlanta. He isn't expected to need surgery, team spokesman Jeff Moeller said.

* MOVING PARTS: The Thrashers sent RW Tomi Kallio and C Dan Snyder to the Chicago Wolves of the AHL and called up Cs Chris Herperger and Per Svartvadet and D Mike Weaver.